


Running Interference

by SegaBarrett



Category: Breaking Bad
Genre: AU, F/M, Fix Fic, what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 20:05:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SegaBarrett/pseuds/SegaBarrett
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike has a job to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running Interference

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Breaking Bad and I make no money from this.
> 
> A/N: Spoilers for 5x07 (sort of) and 5x15 (again, sort of). I don't know how Mike is alive in this. I see it maybe as he survived the gunshot in 5x07 and left to get out of dodge. 
> 
> I had an acknowledgement here but took it back because the person is a Grade A douche. :)

Mike has been watching the little house for three hours when the truck pulls up. The truck from which emerges a form that he readily recognizes as Todd. Mike’s mind sings out “Jackpot!” and “got you, motherfucker!” but as he watches the blonde man move up on to the porch, he wonders what their move is.

As he gazes over at the truck, he quickly realizes there is another figure in back, a figure bound and gagged with a black cloth. A figure it takes him far too long to realize is the bruised and battered form of Jesse.

In that time it takes Mike to realize that that is what has become of his Kid, Todd has talked Andrea out on to the porch, pointed a gun to her head, and pulled the trigger.  
Mike curses, he aims his own gun but realizes as Todd returns to the car that there is a chance – just a chance, a slimmer than none chance – that Andrea is still breathing. Todd didn’t finish her off. One head shot. 

Still a chance.

Todd’s driver is gunning the car up and Mike can see Jesse screaming in agony. 

He has his chance to grab the kid, to take him back and fix what he can, to protect him if he can.

Or he can go to Andrea and blow his chances of startling Todd and his little crew. 

If he goes to Jesse… He would have to look him in the eye and tell him he might have been able to save the girl, but didn’t. 

He can’t.

Mike only considers it for seconds before he shoots out of his car and dives for the bathrobe-clad figure lying prostrate on the front porch.

He checks her pulse and is surprised to find it still thumping and her eyes still open. 

“Andrea?” he calls in a calm voice. “Andrea. Stay with me.”

“What?”

Mike reaches out and threads the strap of her robe out to remove it, then wraps it around her head and presses down. 

“I’m here. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

She stares at him.

“What?”

“It’s okay.” Mike takes her hand in his. “Press down here.” He places it over the strap and shows her how before scooping her into his arms and heading for the car.

“My head hurts,” she whispers, and Mike makes another soothing sound.

“It’s okay. Just a headache. Andrea, you’re fine. We’re going to get you somewhere safe.” 

“Who are you? What… what happened? My head hurts…”

“I know. I know, but you’re going to be okay.” He opens the door and places her in the back seat. “Just keep pressing.”

“Oh my God… is this… are my brains coming out… oh God…” she starts crying, sobbing. 

“No!” Mike tells her firmly. “You are fine.” _Jesse isn’t losing you too._ “I’m taking you to the hospital. I’m Jesse’s friend.”

Andrea looks at him with a look of pure despair.

“Jesse? Where is he? Is he…”

“I’m going to find him and keep him safe,” Mike promises. “But first we need to get you safe. Keep pressing. Good girl.”

He has twenty minutes before doing anything else will be fruitless. He bursts through the doors of the nearest hospital at six and a half minutes and yells for someone to help him, to help her.

***

“Didn’t think I would see you back in town, Mike. I wish it was on a better occasion, but… what can you do? Andrea was a sweet girl. But… what should we do if we have to… you know… do a whole ‘Million Dollar Baby’ for her?”

Mike glares at Saul with fury he wasn’t sure he still possessed, as Andrea’s heart monitor beeps beeps beeps in a monotonous song. She’s hooked up to ventilators and a feeding tube. Her head is shaved and a bandage takes up most of her pretty face.

Mike wants to kill the men responsible, he wants to find Walter and kill him too. 

But he thinks of the Kid and stays by her side, drives back and brings Brock to Andrea’s grandmother’s, makes a bullshit case for being next of kin that Saul has somehow already drummed up paperwork for.

She sleeps.

***

The only thing that stops Mike from putting two rounds in Walter’s head is that Walter has a plan for how to save Jesse. He figures he has time enough to eliminate the man anyway. He’s not sure that Walter even cares – the man has months left to live, if that. He can barely support the huge gun he’s purchased from somewhere.

Mike wants to go save the Kid, but he hangs back and waits, sure Walter’s plan will end in disaster. 

He stays with Andrea, holding her hand in his as she whispers fear that even if Jesse survives, he won’t want to see her, not like this.

“He always loved my hair,” she murmurs, every word a challenge. “Now it’s gone.”

“Andrea, the Kid will want to see you, not your hair. I guarantee it.”

He doesn’t think Andrea believes him.

***

When Walt pries Jesse from the jaws of Hell, he assumes that he already knows. He tells Jesse that he knows he’ll want to see Andrea and that’s where they’re going, that everything’s going to be all right.

Jesse waits for Walt to put a bullet in his head until he realizes that Walt is driving towards the hospital.

He wonders if Mr. White’s cancer has spread to his brain, and wishes he could be so lucky, to live in a world in his head where Andrea is alive and the darkness doesn’t envelope every fiber of his being.

***  
When they show Jesse into Andrea’s room, he starts crying and cannot stop.

He puts his hand on her cheek and kisses her forehead, through the bandage, whispering words that don’t even make any sense anymore but are somehow true.

The doctors tell him a lot of things about symptoms, about loss of coordination and that she won’t be able to walk on her own. That she’ll need a cane or crutches. That she’ll likely have seizures. That she might be confused and wander and need to be taken care of.

Jesse holds her hand and whispers that he’ll take care of her. She and Brock both. 

***

Walt turns to Mike and comments dryly that he’ll never get them to break up now.

“A girl gets a bullet in the head for you, you basically have to marry her.”

Mike puts his hand on his holster and wonders how fast he’d have to move if he shot Walter right then and there.

He decides it isn’t worth it. It’s best to leave Walter alone with his own pathetic life.

Mike walks into the hospital room, turns to Jesse, and wishes him the best of luck. It’s curious that despite being a wanted man sitting in a hospital next to a girl with a bullet in her head, the kid’s life is finally looking up.

Mike is done here, and he taps his phone and calls for his car.

It’s time to go.


End file.
